Pa Elijah Olatunji Kalejaiye was born on February 20, 1905 to the family of Mr. Joseph Kalejaiye and his wife Bernice Onabanke. His father was the son of Orekoya Inangbeyemu of Ipudo and Okusanje of Odolameso. His mother was the daughter of Balogun Onabegun Oluyole and Onapolu, both of whom hailed from Odolameso, Ijebu Imusin.
His early education began at St. Mary’s Anglican School, Ijebu Imusin. He left the school in 1922. He became a pupil teacher at St. Mary’s School, Ijebu Imusin from January 1922 to December of that year. In January 1923, Mr. S. O. Osiyale, who later became Canon of the Cathedral Church of Christ, took him to Oyo where he was placed under the tutelage of Rev. H. Dallimore, later Archdeacon Dallimore of Christ School, Ado-Ekiti.
He was a student at St. Andrew’s College, Oyo from 1924 to 1928. Some of his classmates at St Andrew’s College include Mr. A. Osinowo (of blessed memory), Bishops Agori-Iwe of Benin and J. Adeniyi of Abeokuta; Oba Aladesanmi, The Ewi of Ado and his beloved friend Mr. Sola Sosanya of Pedro, Lagos.
After he left college, in 1929, he was posted to work at Ojowo Central School, Ijebu Imusin and was there until December, 1936. In January 1937, he was transferred to Central School, Ilaro, as Headmaster. Between 1938 and 1944, he worked as Tutor and Games Master at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School. He was a Master at Igbobi College, Lagos, from 1945 to 1952; and later Vice-Principal at St. Paul’s College, Zaria.
